Steady Rest Bearing Upgrade

I have joined the big leagues (in my mind) after purchasing a Hardinge HLV-H. I am in love. This is the best lathe ever. EVER! Every time I turn it on I hear a chorus of angels. No joke. Sounds like they are right in the shop.

Wave to the lathe in the background.

Anyway, I picked up a steady rest on ebay and decided to "modernize" it.

A quick trip to McMaster set me up with some ABEC5 bearings and precision shoulder screws...probably should have taken a shot of that.

A quick drill, slight counter bore, and a 10-32 tap put me in business. The bearings are 1/4" ID 5/8" OD. They spin nice.

The bearings protrude just slightly beyond the reach of the original hard points. Otherwise...perfect!

Now I'll have to find a job where I can put this to use.